Nothing tastes better than a nice cold drink on a hot day. But instead of that beer you may be reaching for, how about a cannabis-infused kombucha tea? It’s a drink that’s not only refreshing, but healthy as well.
Kombucha tea has gained popularity for its good taste and health benefits. You can buy the tea from local supermarkets or even make it at home.
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In recent years, as more states are making marijuana legal, it’s become popular to infuse various kinds of drinks with cannabis. So, why not try it with another form of plant medicine: kombucha tea? You keep the health benefits from the tea and gain added benefits from cannabis. You may be surprised at how great a cannabis-infused kombucha tea is for you.
Why Is Kombucha Tea Good for You?
There’s a lot of hype surrounding kombucha and for good reason. It’s a fermented tea drink, made by taking green or black tea and adding:
- Particular strains of bacteria
- Yeast
- Sugar
During the fermentation process, the bacteria and yeast will form a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) on top of the surface. Don’t be alarmed. This is a good thing. Once the SCOBY’s fully formed, you can use it to make new batches of kombucha. The whole process takes about 10 days.
Kombucha contains lots of probiotic bacteria such as:
- Acetobacter
- Gluconacetobacter
- Lactobacillus
- Zygosaccharomyces
Each of these bacteria promotes gut health, which influences so many processes in your body. Probiotic bacteria help line the digestive tract and aid in nutrient absorption while strengthening immune systems to combat infections.
RELATED: HOW CANNABIS CAN KEEP YOU HEALTHY VIA YOUR GUT MICROBIOME
Kombucha tea is also a great source of antioxidants that can help reduce toxicity in the liver and can also neutralize free radicals. Here’s a tip if you’re interested in consuming more antioxidants: Kombucha that’s made with green tea will contain more antioxidants than kombucha made with black tea.
Though research is ongoing, kombucha tea is thought to help:
- Improve digestion
- Flush out toxins
- Increase energy
- Support the immune system
- Aid with weight loss
- Lower high blood pressure
The Many Health Benefits of Cannabis
In recent years, more and more people are turning to marijuana to help them with various health problems. And folks are finding relief, because of the various natural and active ingredients in cannabis: cannabinoids and terpenes.
Each cannabis strain has its own combination and ratio of cannabinoids like:
The plant (and all plants for that matter) also contains therapeutic terpenes such as:
These compounds can help address a range of health conditions like:
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Central nervous system diseases
Both cannabis and kombucha come with many health benefits. So, when taken together, you’re getting a drink that’s beneficial to your overall health.
DIY Cannabis-Infused Kombucha Tea Recipe
Now that you know all about the health benefits you get from both cannabis and kombucha tea, let’s put them together. The process is simple. All you need are:
- About 4 cannabis tea packets*
- 1 cup organic cane sugar (or other sugar substitute such as agave or honey)
- SCOBY
- 1 cup of store-bought kombucha (first batch only)
- 1 gallon of purified water (no tap water)
- Sterilized glass bottles or jars with matching fermentation covers
*You have several different options for how to infuse your kombucha tea with marijuana. If you live in an area where you have access to cannabis tea that’s available for legal purchase, you can just use that. Alternatively, you can make your own cannabis tea by adding decarboxylated cannabis flower to your favorite tea bags. Another method would be to make your kombucha tea as normal and add a dose of your favorite cannabis tincture to your glass before drinking.
Now that we have all of our ingredients and materials together, let’s begin the process to make a cannabis-infused kombucha tea:
- Boil the purified water while adding the sugar. Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved. Now add whatever tea bags you’re using and let them steep.
- Let tea cool to room temperature before adding the SCOBY and kombucha. Note that adding the SCOBY before the tea is at room temperature can ruin the process.
- Pour in a half cup of kombucha, then add the SCOBY to the mixture.
- Now place covers over each container. Keep the containers in a warm place, away from the sun.
- Let it sit for 10 days to allow for fermentation.
Once you’ve learned the process to make cannabis-infused kombucha tea, you can start experimenting with it. Try different strains of cannabis-infused tea bags to find your favorite pairings.
Of course, remember to proceed with caution when it comes to marijuana edibles. If you aren’t sure how much is right for you, you can absolutely use fewer cannabis-infused tea bags for your first batch. For example, you could always use 2 regular and 2 cannabis tea bags if you want to make your cannabis-infused kombucha tea less potent.
Home brewing is a fun and rewarding process, but it can be difficult at first. Don’t get discouraged and keep trying to perfect your process in making this delicious drink—you’ll be happy you did.
Photo credit: Anna Fedorova_it/Shutterstock.com
If you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 index of articles. And if you have questions about cannabis, ask them and our community will answer.
